Nietzsche: Spirituality and Divinity

Nietzschean Critique

Following G.W.F Hegel’s idealistic understanding of history, philosophers offered alternatives, such as Karl Marx’s materialistic understanding and Friedrich Nietzsche’s understanding in terms of “power relations.” On the one hand, because Nietzsche’s “genealogical method” was often in the service of critiquing other histories, it has come to be known as “Nietzschean Critique.” On the other hand, because On the Genealogy of Morals (1887/1989b) represents its most popular application, some interpreters may mistakenly think morality to be the sole application of Nietzschean Critique. However, Nietzsche also applied this method regarding religious, sociocultural, and psychological ideals. Moreover, though On the Genealogy of Morals popularized Nietzsche’s “Noble” or “Master” ideals exemplary of a life-affirming attitude and “Slave” ideals exemplary of a life-denying attitude, these concepts initially stem from his critique of spirituality and divinity.